


Companion

by ViridianPanther



Series: Thirty Days [8]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, M/M, Post-Ending, Synthesis Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-21
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 10:38:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViridianPanther/pseuds/ViridianPanther
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard is gone, again. As the Normandy prepares to return home, Joker reflects on the gifts his truest friend left behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Companion

Joker felt that the bridge looked empty without Shepard.

There were still a few damaged panels, and everyone stank because they'd had to ration running water and there wasn't enough to drink and shower at the same time. James had suggested draining Shepard's fish tank, an idea Liara and Traynor had verbally asphyxiated.

Kaidan hesitated for a moment at the pulpit, visibly perturbed at the sensation of stepping into Shepard's shoes, into _his_ position at the galaxy map.

He looked different. It all felt _wrong._ This ship had always been Shepard's, and to have someone other than Shepard, even if it _was_ humanity's second Spectre, and the man who knew Shepard best, felt like a betrayal.

The knowledge that there would probably be no corpse for Cerberus to abduct this time made it all the more painful.

Joker smiled as Kaidan finally found his resolve and stepped up to the handrail, nodding by way of approval. He wasn't Shepard, but no-one—not even Kaidan—was ever going to replace him.

For Shepard was undoubtedly the most important person in Joker's life. The man who'd come up to the cockpit one day, sat in the secondman's seat, and just _talked_ for a while. The man who'd encouraged him to have a social life outside eating, drinking and pissing in bags in the cockpit. Hell, he was even responsible for EDI and her sexy robot body.

And, of course, perhaps the greatest gift of all: his bones. For the first time in his life, Joker was now able to stride to the cockpit, the new titanium bones providing enough support to make him feel like he could run a marathon.

_I might try that, one day,_ he thought as he slipped into the pilot's seat and activated his console. The _Normandy_ hummed, and the drive core emitted a high-pitched squeal as the ship gently rocked to a level position, and began to rise from the moon's surface.

"Are you alright, Jeff?" EDI said, in barely more than a whisper, looking over from the secondman's position as he began the take-off sequence.

He stole a glance at the glimmering green eyes.

"Yeah."

They reached across and held hands as the engines roared and the _Normandy_ pitched skywards.

Jeff's truest companion had gone, but the things he'd left behind were enough.


End file.
